Ndovu = Elephant

Samburu National Reserve 

“It’s a great day for science! “ This was Mutinda’s opening line on Thursday.  We were headed to use some of the stains that the human clinic has in stock.  We wanted to look at the blood of our Grevy’s zebra.  We found out that she has a blood borne parasite (anaplasmosis) and possibly also has another blood borne parasite (babesia).  Both are treatable in the early stages.  Her bloods told us that she has advanced stages, so her prognosis is not great.  We are going to go back out and give her another medication to treat them.  This is a very expensive drug, so we had to justify using it; we also found out that she is very anemic, probably due to the parasites.

STE, Mandibles of Poached Elephants

We left the lab and headed off to Samburu again to go and do a necropsy (post mortem) on a lion.  The lion had been seen Tuesday night, fit and healthy.  This lioness had a 4 -6 week old cub that cannot be located either.  She was found dead, after exhibiting odd symptoms on Wed morning. 

We drove for about 2 hours to get to Samburu and when we parked, I saw a bunch of Save the Elephants trucks.  Low and behold we ended up at the Save the Elephants headquarters.  I was shocked!  I introduced myself, and received a very very warm welcome.  I ate lunch with George, Frank and Saba (and their beautiful family). 

We went and did a necropsy on the lioness and found what we were suspecting, a snakebite.  It was horrible to see the damage that was done by the venom.  We were able to pinpoint the bite to her back.  This is very strange, but she probably rolled over on an adder. We even were able to extract a snake fang from her.  It was sad, but it was nice to know she died of natural causes.  We don’t have any idea where her cub is.

From there, we went back to camp to get ready for the immobilizing of an elephant.  The bull elephant was in good condition, but he needed a tracking collar placed.  The immobilizing was so calm.  He was darted from a close distance, and then he slowly ambled to a clearing in the shade.  He stood there for about 8 minutes and then calmly lay down.  The sound of his body hitting the ground was amazing.  Everyone then mobilized to around the elephant.  I helped straighten his trunk out and put an Acacia thorn to keep his trunk open and patent.  You have no idea how heavy an elephant trunk is.  It was covered in short guard hairs, which pricked me as I moved it.  I went on to monitor anesthesia by closely monitoring respirations.  His breaths were nicely spaced and deep. 

Monitoring respirations

 The collaring team went to work quickly placing the collar.  Water was poured on him so that he would not overheat.  It was amazing to see the network of blood vessels in his ears.  It really showed how an elephant uses his ears to cool himself.  The blood is so close to the surface that the heat dissipates out when the elephant flaps his ears.  It was surreal to be that close to an elephant.  

Drawing Blood from the Bull Elephant

Administering the Antidote

Everyone quickly did all of his or her duties, and we went to administer the antidote.   Everyone but Mutinda and I and Tim scattered back to their trucks.  Mutinda and I determined which way we were going to run if something were to happen.   I quickly drew blood for diagnostics and Mutinda administered the antidote seconds after I finished.  We then bolted back to the truck.  We waited a few minutes and then realized that the elephant was going to need more drugs.  Mutinda then slowly walked back out to the elephant with an Askari (armed) to administer more antidote.  Within milliseconds, the elephant was moving.  It took him about 2 more minutes and then he not so gracefully rocked his whole body, gaining momentum to stand up.  He stood up on his first attempt.  He then looked around, a bit dazed.  His trunk immediately went up to investigate the tracking collar placed on him.  He felt it over and over and over again.  He will have some stories to tell the others.   He then slowly made his way back into the brush. 

We then said our good byes to the Save the Elephants team.  And our team headed back to Lewa.  Now it is a bit scary driving in Kenya at night.  It is really something that should not be done.  However, we had to get back.  Methenge gracefully sped us down the highway back to Lewa.  I gazed out the truck bed “window” at the stars.  It still amazes me how many stars you can see in Kenya.